Yamaha SLB100 - still worth buying new?

[JJB]

Hi all

I’m an amateur DBist playing arco and pizzicato, most styles of music.
I can’t keep at home a full size DB due to moving to a smaller place.

 

Is Yamaha’s SLB100 (whose full top to bottom frame on the right-hand side appeals to me) still worth it in terms of sound and overall playability (it was released in 2000 after all IIRC) or does the SLB300 (and SLB300 pro?) knock it off the park?
Or any other electric EUB?

 

To be 100% clear, while sound is important of course, handling (to be just as close to a full bodied DB as possible) is just as important to me too. Hence the appeal of the SLB100 when I look at the apparent extra support of its full side frame Vs other EUBs.

 

If it’s totally quiet while unplugged, even better but not essential.

Thanks in advance

[Beedster]

It is an outstanding instrument and significantly better than the 200 in my experience (the 300 looks interesting but perhaps doesn’t meet the criteria above). Whether it’s still the best option at close to £5k retail however is probably debatable 

[Bloopdad1]

I specifically hunted down a 100 over the 200. Far greater stability playing arco and better weight distribution when seated. 

Vastly superior for my needs over the 200.

But, the 200 has better electronics and a better amplified sound in my opinion. But feel and string response, bow response was more important to me. 

 

Would I buy new? Hell no! You'd be mad to shell out £5k on a bass that in 6mths s time if you tried selling it would make £2k max! 😂 

 

I'd rather spend that amount of cash on a Czech Ease bass (the one with half it's bottom bout missing..)

 

Keep an eye out here, occasionally a 100 pops up. 

But out of all the EUBs I tried the Yamahas are the best. 

Good luck. 

[Beedster]

A decent luthier could build you something close to an SLB-100 for a whole lot less. I have a mate who's a carpenter and we were considering a 4/4 EUB custom build using commercially available neck, bridge, and tailpiece with a carved SLB-100 style body (i.e., removable treble and bass side bouts) using very high quality wood. It would have been passive, but let's face it the pre-amp has never been the selling point of any of the SLBs, even the 300. He quoted £1000 for the work (parts on top of that), but it was before lockdown and wood has gone up a bit since then (and I found an SLB-100 at £1200 used which made more sense than a 12-month lead time). But at even £2k it would save you £3k and probably still lose a lot less money if you needed to sell.